The Search
by CountryGirl93
Summary: Once upon a time in an enchanted forest, a baby was born to an unusual pair. The child would grow up to be more powerful than anyone could ever imagine, but when she loses the three things she loves and desires most, she must look within herself and ask for help to save not only herself but the ones she loves as well.
1. Where It All Started

Prologue:  
Where It All Started

Once upon a time in an enchanted forest, a baby was born to an unusual pair. The father was strange, his leathery skin sprinkled with gold, and the mother was pure of heart and full of knowledge. The pair had traveled across realms, fought evil sorceresses, and allowed their love to flourish and bloom. Their differences brought them together and allowed them to be their best selves.

On the day of the christening, the entire kingdom of the Enchanted Forest was in attendance to wish the couple well and to gaze upon the gold skinned baby.

Water was poured over brown locks and the child let out a small wail in protest.

"Why is she crying?" asked a small boy of five as he watched the small bundle squirm in the arms of its mother.

"That is what babies do," replied the boy's father. "They cry to talk to those around them."

The boy nodded solemnly and then announced loudly, "Well it's annoying."

The woman holding the newly christened baby heard the small boy and let out a tinkling laugh. She turned to her husband and whispered something to him, causing him to grin and place a tender kiss on his wife's temple.

"… so let us greet the newest resident of the kingdom!" cried the priest, raising his arms in praise. As he lowered his arms, the large oak doors of the chapel opened and revealed thin girl in tattered and torn clothes.

Everyone in the room turned to look at her, several standing up and drawing swords or magical powers. "What do you want?" demanded the father of the newborn child.

"I have come to deliver a message..."

"From who?"

"The seers of the trees," she whispered in fear. Her eyes widened and her breath came in whooshing puffs. "I am only a messenger."

The man sneered. "I am known to kill the messengers."

She took in a deep breath and whispered, "The child you hold is born of true love, but also of lightness and darkness. Her light will shine strive forward, but the darkness will overtake her when she loses the first of the three things she loves most. She can be saved by her true love, but the future cannot be changed. She must first fall to the lowest levels before rising up to claim her place alongside the wielders of light magic."

"Is that all they said?" asked the father as the mother said, "What is your name, sweetheart?"

The girl looked between the two parents and replied, "The seers said nothing more. They beat me and sent me on my way."

"And your name?" the woman repeated.

"My name is Chrysopeleia of the Western Woods."

"A nymph," noted the father. "How strange."

She nodded, whispering, "Please do not hurt me. I do not wish your child any harm. She has much power and will go so far, but she has a hard road in front of her."

"And you know this because…?"

"I might be a woodland nymph, but I can sense the power that emanates from the child. She will strive forward in a new era of this land and many others. If you offer me protection, I will offer my help."

Turning to his wife and child the man thought of the girl's offer. His child would have power, a fact that he had known the moment his wife had told him of their joyous news. Darkness along with the light would follow his kin throughout her life, and she would need all the help they could get.

"Come with us, dearie, and we shall see what type of deal we can strike."

"Deal," Chrysopeleia replied. "You have my word that I will do all in my power to guide your child along the path that will open in front of her. That I promise."

"Deal," the man replied, slipping an arm around his wife. "And you shall have our protection."

The others in the room gazed upon the family in the front of the chapel and the girl at the back of the room, wondering what would happen in the years to come. They speculated one thing and another, but never in their wildest dreams could they have imagined what would happen to the child and her new guardian.


	2. Calling Upon the Dark One

Chapter One:  
Calling Upon the Dark One

To set the mood, the group of five young women stood outside of the crudely drawn pentagram on the ground. Each stood at a point. Each stood in different poses with different looks upon their faces. Each was there for a reason. A fire burned in the center and strange items were strategically placed around the pentagram.

Eliza, bold and brazen with a reckless side that, during different circumstances would have been appreciated. She stood with a wicked grin on her face as her platinum blonde hair whipped around her face in the gathering wind. To her right was a mousey girl, both in character and coloring named Charlotte. A look of fear filled her eyes as she glanced every-so-often to the woman next to her. Continuing on, Shannon stood with a dull expression on her face. Her black as spilled ink hair was wrapped in a tight bun, no strands coming loose in the wind. Britt, red haired and curious as her last cat, which subsequently had been found dead only the day before, glanced in eager anticipation around the pentagram. Finishing out the crude star was Felicity. Her face gave nothing away, nor did her stance. She was slight in build and had a sweet looking face. Her chestnut hair, a direct gift from her late mother, had been expertly weaved into an intricate braid and rested down her back.

"Should we start … or something … perhaps?" Charlotte asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Eliza grinned evilly. "I guess we should." She turned to Felicity. "Are we ready?"

"I think this is a bad idea," Felicity countered, knowing she would be ignored by Eliza, something that she had gotten used to over the past few months since she had met the woman and her rag-tag group of friends.

Just smiling, Eliza raised her arms, the others mimicking her movements. "I summon thee, oh Dark One!" she shouted into the fire that leapt in response.

Nothing happened.

"I summon the Dark One!" Anger began to seep through her voice. "Come to me NOW!" She stomped her foot in anger and cursed wildly.

"Perhaps you need something a little more," suggested a masculine voice from the shadows of the old warehouse yards that provided a strong atmospheric touch to the whole scene.

A figure stepped into the ring of light that seemed to center around the women and gave a dashing bow. The man was dressed in dark brown pants that hugged his well-built legs, but in a way that reinforced his masculinity instead of diminishing it. His cream colored shirt was covered by a well-worn leather jacket that matched his sturdy boots. Dark blonde hair, almost to the point of being brown brushed against his neck, in need of a trim.

"Are you the Dark One?"

Felicity whipped her head around, surprised to hear Charlotte's voice. "Hush, Charlotte," she murmured, breaking the circle and walking across the pentagram to stand next to the shivering girl.

The man ignored Felicity's words, as if he hadn't heard them at all, and walked towards Eliza, recognizing the power that the woman exerted off of herself. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Eliza," he said with a wicked grin, laughing a bit as he did so.

"You are the Dark One!" Eliza exclaimed in excitement.

"I might be… I might not." He let the sentence dangle and looked at each of the women in turn. "An interesting group, if I may say so myself."

"My friends are no concern of yours," snapped Eliza.

He clucked his tongue at her. "Oh but Charlotte, so quiet and shy, really is a fire-cracker underneath it all…. And Shannon, so stoic but so hurt… and Britt, oh she would be fun to play with…." He waved his hands in a circular motion towards each of the girls. "I understand your choices in them. Resourceful when you need them to be, but so weak compared to you … but it is Felicity that surprises me. She is so…" he let this sentence dangle as well, but this time he did not know how to finish it.

"I'm what?" Felicity asked, getting annoyed at the game that was clearly being played.

"You're not a follower. Never have been, if my memory serves me."

Felicity took a step towards him and planted her hands on jean clad hips. "I've never known it to fail you in the past."

"You know the Dark One?" Eliza interjected, needing to be in the middle of the action once more.

Stifling an unladylike snort, Felicity replied, "He's just annoying, and the Dark One isn't coming… is he?" She pointed the last question at the man.

"No. I was hoping he'd pop up, but no such luck."

"Then who are you?" Eliza continued, noticing the fact that the conversation had once again slid away from her.

"Roland is my name, dear lady." Roland issued another bow and as he straightened, "And I suggest we all go back to wherever you've been holing up in. Even if the Dark One didn't show, there are bound to be a few dark things lurking in the shadows waiting to snack on a few lovely ladies."

"Like you?" muttered Felicity, walking away from the poorly executed summoning ritual. She had known it wouldn't work, but she had still hoped. That was in her nature – eternally hopeful even when all logic pointed to the facts that she would be disappointed. The ever present hope had slowly crushed her spirit, and now she was ready to give up.

The trek from the ritual site to the warehouse that had been home to the women for the past three weeks, was silent. No one spoke, but that was not surprising. The anger that radiated off of Eliza made sure that no one would be speaking anytime soon.

Roland fell into step with Felicity at the back of the group, but did not speak. She knew he wanted to, but was grateful that he was keeping his silence. She had to admit that he was looking well – filled out and appearing more like his father. She knew how to appreciate a fine male figure, but her thoughts were confusing her. She had known Roland her entire life; played with him, spent holidays with him, got into more trouble that anyone thought was possible. Now the little butterflies were back, the ones that she had shoved into the back corner of her mind to ignore when she left home so many years ago.

As her thoughts raced back and forth, gentle fingers brushed down her wrist and encircled her hand. Felicity glanced up at Roland and raised an eyebrow. "How are you holding up?"

She shrugged at Roland's question, knowing that Eliza and the others were listening for information about the mysterious Roland.

"Lissa," he murmured. "Answer me, please."

They had reached the door to the warehouse, the dark shadows inviting them into their folds. Eliza paused in the gaping opening and snapped, "Are you coming in or what?"

"I think I'll take a little walk," replied Felicity, giving a rueful smile to the other woman. "Roland will make sure I get back in one piece."

Eliza let out a long sigh. "Fine… but when you get back we need to talk. You said that this would work. I want the Dark One, and you SAID you would get him."

"I said that it might work. Key word: might. I never made any promises, Eliza," Felicity said sadly. "Your vengeance will make your soul black as the night skies."

The other woman huffed in anger and stormed into the warehouse's shadows. "Where did you find her?" muttered Roland, offering his arm to Felicity.

She slipped her hand in the crook of his elbow, a gesture both comforting and familiar to them. "New York."

"Busy place," he noted. "I wouldn't have pegged you to be an urbanite."

"When I need to be, I can be." She gazed up at the pinpricked sky and took in the beautiful sight. "Though I have always enjoyed the openness."

Roland stopped walking and turned Felicity to face him. "When was the last time you were home?"

"When I left."

Eyebrows shot up. "Where have you been all these years?"

"Here and there," she shrugged. He gave her a pointed look to which she replied, "I didn't go anyplace in particular. Did get lost in the Sands of Time, not a fun place to be, but I got out in one piece."

"Magic?"

"Is helpful in lands like that. Reminded me a bit of Neverland," she whispered wistfully. "Have you been back?"

He nodded. "Spent quite a bit of time there."

"It shows," she grinned. Her face sobered as she questioned, "Have you seen my father?"

"Saw him shortly after you took off. Didn't look the best, but the whispers say he is out and about. Running with my mother, if we can believe everything that is said behind hands."

Biting her lip, Felicity turned away from Roland and began to walk back towards the warehouse. "Have you been traveling a lot?"

"Yep."

"Can you get me back home?" The plea was clear. She wanted to be home, to go home, and Roland knew it.

He scratched his head in thought and then dug in his pocket. He pulled out a small pouch and handed it over to Felicity. "When was the last time you wielded magic?"

"A few years," she admitted, taking the pouch and opening up the drawstrings. Carefully spilling the contents into her hand, her breath caught in amazement. "Ro," she whispered. "These are magic beans."

"We can drop one now and disappear back to the Enchanted Forest," he suggested. "Go home and see everyone. Be ourselves again."

A smile crossed her lips as she thought of how wonderful his plan sounded. She closed her eyes for a moment, imagining the cool breezes that blew through the mountains surrounding her father's castle. She swore she could feel the sun hitting her face through the trees and could smell the new blooms in the meadows.

Opening her eyes, she allowed the sadness to cross her face. "I promised Eliza that I would bring her to the Dark One. She wants him to find the woman who stole her boyfriend's heart… or something like that."

"And who would that woman be?" Roland asked.

"Me." She grinned wickedly, a grin that matched her father's to perfection. "I would prefer knowing when she planned on offing me."

He looked at her skeptically. "Why did he lose his heart to you … and you did mean it metaphorically, right?"

"Yes, it was a metaphor," she said, almost reluctantly. "I met him at a party in New York and he fell madly in love with me." Shrugging she smiled. "I can't help who falls for my wicked good looks."

"Always the charmer," muttered Roland. He looked her up and down, taking in her normal outfit of tans and browns and asked, "Are you sure you want to bring Eliza and her rag-tag group to the Enchanted Forest?"

"Can't see any way out of it," she countered. "And I have a theory about Charlotte," she admitted. "She reminds me of someone I once knew." He bobbed his head up and down, agreeing with her statement.

They had reached the warehouse once again and Roland looked at the structure skeptically. "How have you been living in a place like this?"

"I spent what seemed like a lifetime in a desert," she countered. "A nice warehouse, which is furnished for your information, is a far step up from what I had been used to."

Shaking his head in amazement, he walked into the building and grinned at Felicity. "Let's go tell your new friends the good news!"

She laughed and swatted his arm. "I missed that," he whispered. "You laugh and that little smile that crinkles around your nose." She blushed in reply and said nothing. "But you didn't want to hear that," he continued. "So let's forget I said that for a moment or two, and get us all back home."

"Sounds like a plan," she breathed in relief. "I can handle that and we can maybe rehash memory lane when we are all safe and sitting around my father's roaring fire."

"Deal," he said grinning at her. He couldn't wait to get back home, and this time with Felicity by his side. He grinned again and walked in her wake, planning his next moves.


	3. Through the Portal

Chapter Two:  
Though the Portal

Holding a pale green bean, Eliza frowned and looked up at Roland. "What is it?... other than a bean."

"Magic bean," replied Felicity with a sneer. She glanced up at Eliza and grinned. "For a person who thinks they know so much about magic, you are quite clueless."

"And you know about magic?" she demanded.

"Oh you have no idea, dearie."

Roland stepped between the women and held up his hands. "Settle down, ladies."

"Oh shove it, Ro," muttered Felicity stalking away from him and Eliza.

Watching Felicity walk away, Eliza smirked and stepped closer to Roland. "So," she murmured. "Now that you have me alone, what are you going to do with me?"

"Fling you a few lands over," snapped Roland, looking at Felicity's retreating figure. He turned back to Eliza and said, "That bean will allow us to open a portal. We will be able to go to any land that we want. We will be able to go to the Enchanted Forest."

Laughter bubbled from Eliza's lips. "Who the hell names something the _Enchanted Forest_? Can it be anymore lame sounding?"

He glowered. "Do you want to contact the Dark One or not?"

"Will he be in the Lame-O Forest?" she countered.

"Enchanted, and yes. He was born and raised there… though he has been around here some too… as well as a few other places."

Raising an eyebrow, Eliza asked, "Like where?"

"Neverland, Oz, Wonderland. He used to travel a lot. Now he is more or less settled in the Enchanted Forest."

She shrugged. "Whatever." Flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder, she batted her eyelashes and purred, "So when do we take off, darling?"

Roland repressed a shudder as he watched her eyes roam over his body. "We take off when Felicity says we take off. She holds the power here, whether you like it or not."

"Fine," she said in a whining voice. "We'll play by her rules for now, but when we get to the forest, it is my way or the highway. My rules. We find the Dark One and we have him destroy the little whore who stole my boyfriend's attention."

Roland nodded and then asked, against his better judgment, "And where is your boyfriend now?"

"Oh that loser ran off with some bimbo back in New York. My revenge is just on principal."

"Ah." And with that, Roland walked away to find Felicity to discuss their game plan.

* * *

The bean landed on the ground and opened the gaping, swirling portal. Green light shone from the opening, causing Felicity to grin like a madwoman while Britt, Shannon, and Eliza stepped back in fear. Charlotte and Roland only looked at the portal indifferently.

"Who's ready to jump?" called Roland over the roaring wind that had picked up once the bean had hit the ground. He made eye contact with each of the women and let his gaze stay on Felicity's. "Ready to jump when you are, sweetie."

"Let's go back home then," she smiled, knowing what would be waiting for her back in the Enchanted Forest.

"Know where it will dump us?" asked Roland, ready to give the cue for the six of them to jump.

"No clue," replied Felicity as she heard a shriek from one of the others. She glanced across the portal and counted. One. Two. Three. Charlotte had already gone through the portal.

"JUMP!" cried Roland, grabbing Felicity's hand as he flung himself forward, not waiting to see if the others were following. He had the one he wanted, and that was all that mattered. Felicity squeezed her eyes tight and gripped Roland's hand with more strength than either one knew she had. He reached over, patted their intertwined hands, and rode out the ride.

Falling through the portal was about like being in a swirling green vacuum of death, Felicity decided as she fell into the abyss. Her normal means of travel had avoided bean portals like a plague, not that any beans had been offered to her before Roland stepped back into her life. A queasiness began to slowly consume her body as she and Roland spun around in the green glow but self-respect had her shoving the sickness down before she embarrassed herself.

Roland tapping on her knee alerted her to a decrease in speed. He pointed down and then to her kneed and then to his. He bent his knees and seemed to bounce a little. She nodded, getting his message loud and clear. Bend the knees to catch the impact of the coming ground. She prayed for a soft landing and was not disappointed. Roland wrapped his arms around her at the last second and together they hit the ground on their feet, supported by their bent knees.

Felicity glanced up at his face, surprised that her arms had somehow wrapped themselves around him during the fall. While looking into his eyes, she caught a movement out of the corner of her own. Whipping her head around, she saw the slightest flash of brown and green fabric blending into the woods.

"Fairy dust," Roland noted, having followed Felicity's gaze and catching sight of the fleeing woman.

He was about to say something more when Eliza, Shannon, and Britt came flopping out of thin air. All three landed ungracefully to the ground and only Britt held her breakfast down. Roland turned his head away in slight disgust and carefully unwrapped his arms from around Felicity, but not before Britt caught sight of them.

Eliza spat unladylike on the ground and glanced around. "Where are we?"

"Welcome to the Enchanted Forest!" Roland announced grandly. He spread his arms wide and the remaining five of them took in the world around them. They stood among ancient looking trees that radiated light and warmth. Grass and wildflowers grew in tuffs around the trunks of trees and miscellaneous boulders. The scene was… fairytale like.

"Beautiful," breathed Britt and Shannon, awed by the world that greeted them.

It was at that same moment that Eliza demanded, "Where's Charlotte?"

"On her way to the woods in the north?" guessed Roland, shrugging his shoulders. "She took off in quite a hurry."

Eliza frowned.

"Western, if my guess was correct," Felicity stated. Roland gave her a questioning look to which she responded with her own 'tell you later' look. He nodded and looked for a way to ease the tension.

"No horses?" laughed he, surveyed their surroundings once again, as if to see five horses pop out from the trees.

Glaring at him, Felicity sarcastically noted, "What did you expect?... Me to order them up only to have them lost in the post?"

"No need to be snippy," he replied, tossing a friendly arm around her shoulder. He grinned like a fool and whooped. "We're home, Liss. We made it!"

Swinging her in a circle, Roland nearly planted a kiss on her lips, but knew that wouldn't be wise. "Um…" he said awkwardly. "We better get a move on?"

"Dark Castle?" Felicity asked, feeling a bit empty and lost as he stepped away from her.

He nodded.

"Which way?" demanded Eliza, fully intending to take charge once again. She stood up. The other two taking cues from her stood up as well. As they did, long skirts rustled around their legs, alerting them to the change in their clothing.

"What the?" began Shannon, plucking at her dress. Hers was black as her hair, was a solid swath of fabric to her knees, and completely covered in lace that fell to the ground. Eliza wore a fire-engine red dress that clung to her curves, and Britt rounded out the group in a pale blue gown that flowed elegantly from her body. All three had on beautiful, yet impractical shoes that matched their outfits.

Britt grinned like a fool and patted her red hair, which was wrapped in a loose bun and asked, "So which way do we walk to get to the castle?"

Roland shrugged, uncertain how to react to the different moods that now ran through the group. "I'd have to climb up a tree and get a good look at where we are exactly."

Felicity pointed. "We go that way."

"How do you know?" asked Britt, amazed at Felicity's confidence.

"A girl always knows her way home." She smiled at the redhead. "And it so happens I grew up in that region."

"Oh goodie," Roland replied. "No climbing trees!" He flashed the women and grin and began walking in the direction that Felicity had pointed, knowing soon enough they would find a game trail to ease their travels.

Trekking through the forest had been on no one's agenda for the day. Eliza whined and pulled at the dress she was now wearing, clearly uncomfortable with the change in attire. Shannon and Britt just went with the flow.

"Why did you get pants?" demanded Eliza in fury as she took in Felicity's leggings, knee-high boots, and fitted shirt. "And boots. Why are we in damned heels while you are in boots?"

"It's what I was wearing when I left here." Felicity spared a glance over at the seething woman and grinned. "It looks like fancy dresses and impractical shoes are the standard for newcomers."

"Mother always wears a dress ….thing," Roland added lamely.

Eliza stuck out her tongue at him. "Well it's not fair. You both look like you could blend into the forest, while we," she gestured wildly at her and her friends, "look like we are going to a ball. It doesn't make sense."

"Think fairytale," offered Felicity. "Our entire world doesn't make sense."

"And you are both from here?" asked Britt, generally interested in the information.

Roland grinned at her and replied, "Born and raised."

"And your clothing?"

"Our usual, I would like to say." He patted his bow and arrows and grinned. "Weapons included. Don't get to be part of the Merry Men without a good bow and a full quiver."

Whistling a tune, he began to wander through the surrounding trees, lost in his own head. The light was full and shone cheerfully through the canopy of leaves above the traveler's heads. Felicity let her eyes follow Roland's path and her mind to wander on its own. She thought of the life she had left behind and wondered where she would be picking it up at.

Britt's next question pulled her out of her dreamland and back to the Enchanted Forest. "Merry Men? As in Robin Hood?"

"Robin is Roland's father," Felicity supplemented. "Both are a dead shot with the bow. Don't want to be at the wrong end of one of those."

"And you?"

Felicity looked at the girl. "What about me?"

A dark blush ran up Britt's face as she muttered, "Are your parents anyone we would know?"

Thoughts of her parents and their individual stories that she had read back in Britt's world filled her mind. Never once had her parents been placed together, but then again, Roland's father and mother weren't placed together either. Perhaps, Felicity thought, the stories didn't always get the details just right. She pondered that and saw the three other women staring at her, realizing that they were still waiting for an answer. "Um…" she thought. "No. My parents were more …" she paused again. "Minor characters," she finally settled on lamely. "You wouldn't have heard of either of them."

Roland had entered back into their fray by then and shot Felicity a puzzled look. She just shook her head and prayed that he didn't enter the conversation. He gave her a tight, knowing grin, and then turned it into a full on, Roland-ready, full on blazing smile. "There is a little footbridge ahead." He gestured down the trail and pulled out a dead, bleeding rabbit. "And I caught supper."

Felicity laughed as Eliza, Shannon, and Britt's faces paled at the sight of the very dead, but very plump rabbit.

"Do we have to eat it?" Shannon asked, eying the blood-dripped fur as the bridge came into sight.

Roland only laughed and gazed at the bridge. Around the path, blooms of wildflowers grew and a light covering of moss hit the stones of the bridge. "It's a beautiful place," he said, more to himself and Felicity than anyone else.

A ghost of a smile crossed Felicity's lips. "The curse took so much when it hit. I am happy that nature was able to reclaim parts of the forest back."

"Yeah," was Roland's only reply as they stepped onto the bridge.


	4. Trouble on the Open Road

Chapter Three:  
Trouble on the Open Road

The bridge shifted under their feet, causing Eliza to grab tightly onto the edge. The bridge shifted again and knowledge dawned. "Don't!" warned Felicity, realizing what exactly they were standing on.

"Snow..?" began Roland.

"And the stolen jewels," finished Felicity.

Eliza gazed at the pair in horror. "What about snow and why does precipitation have gems?"

"No time for questions," snapped Roland drawing the dagger from his belt. "Get off of this bad-boy!"

Grabbing her two remaining friends, Eliza dashed forward, leaving Felicity and Roland to fight off whatever demon was rocking the bridge. Once cleared, Eliza could see that the bridge was crawling with humanlike creatures. They crawled over the ledge of the bridge, and upon seeing Roland and his blade, became angrier.

"Lookie here," growled one of the creatures.

The other seemed to smile and replied, "No one has crossed our bridge in quite some time. We have missed the sweetness of jewels and gems."

Glancing over at Roland, Felicity took a step closer to him and whispered, just loud enough for his ears only, "Get off and get your bow ready. I'll distract them and give you a clear shot."

Roland nodded and gave a cheeky grin to the creatures. "God, Liss. I haven't seen a beast this ugly since I last saw your father."

She hissed in reply as one of the creatures shouted, "We're trolls and much better looking than that thing she calls a father!"

"And that is your cue to leave," snapped Felicity, throwing her arms down by her sides and muttering a foreign sounding words. A few sparks flew from her fingertips and struck the bridge with impressive force. The stones began to crack and soon the center of the bridge was falling into the river below it.

Felicity heard Roland's yell, but paid no heed. The two trolls on the bridge weren't the only two trolls there. From her guess, there was easily a half dozen more waiting to strike if she too tried to leave the bridge.

"Looks like we're going down," grinned Felicity evilly.

The trolls howled in anger for her destruction of their bridge and lunged towards her.

She jumped back nimbly and threw a spell at them. "Back off, big guys. I don't have any shiny items, and I don't think any were placed on the ledge to call you either."

"We've changed our ways," replied one of the trolls. "Easier to just grab and walk away. No need to barter for gold coins anymore."

"Went all dark on me?"

"Look who's talking," they spat back. "Heard your father went back to his cowardly ways too."

That taunt was the last straw for Felicity. She threw out her hands and quite literally blew the bridge to bits, sending her and all of the trolls flying into the air to land among the trees and in the water. She landed with a loud thump and winced as she felt a stick poking into her side.

Fighting sounds reached her ears and then suddenly everything went quiet and Roland was standing above her, poking at her body in search for damage. She hissed in pain and wiggled her fingers towards her side. "Landed on a stick."

"Blew up a bridge," he countered.

"They insulted my family."

"I insulted theirs."

She grinned, wincing as he gently tugged up her tunic to look at the wound and said, "Good thing I have magic and they don't."

"Whereas that might be true," muttered Roland, grimacing at the sight of her side, "they are not all dead – wet and pissed off, but not dead, and you are wounded."

"By a stick."

"More like a branch." He placed the fingers of his left hand on either side of the stick and pulled with his right.

"Mother of Gods!" cried Felicity, nearly sitting up as the pain sliced through her body. "Warn me next time."

He shoved her back onto the ground and grinned. "Luckily for you, I have a pouch full of healing herbs … made especially for dirty wounds of the round nature."

"Lucky for me you get shot a lot, is more likely," she moaned, the pain still radiating from her side and growing in intensity. "We got to move. If you didn't kill them all, they'll be back."

Packing her wound with herbs and wrapping it in strips of his undershirt, Roland only nodded. He was so concentrated on the task at hand that he missed the look that passed through Felicity's eyes. She closed them, knowing if he glanced he would see into her soul, and said, "Think I'll be able to walk, Doc?"

"Hobble," he amended, sitting back on his haunches. "You will be one sore gal come this evening, and I don't think you'll be able to make it too far without passing out or some other equally embarrassing thing."

Groaning, she bopped her head lightly on the ground and then began to struggle to work herself into a sitting position.

"No, no." Roland stood up quickly and bent down to scoop her up in his arms. She fit perfectly. "I'll carry you."

She raised an eyebrow in suspicion. He only grinned down at her and finally said, "I know of a cave system not too far from here. We'll camp there for a day or two while you heal yourself up." When she began to protest, he cut her off. "A few days won't make that much of a difference, Lissa. Eliza thinks you are still a friend and has no idea of who you truly are or what you have done in the past. You'll be fine."

Felicity huffed out a breath and allowed herself to be carried as Roland led the three other women to the cave system in mind.

* * *

After two days of being cooped up in the damp and shadowy caves, Felicity was ready to move on. With her only company being Eliza and Britt, Shannon deeming herself too good to talk to the wounded companion, Felicity was tired of learning about all the ways one could style hair.

"I usually like to keep mine in cute little curls and then pulled back in a pony or something equally as cute," Britt giggled. She patted her hair with a conscious hand and giggled again when Roland ducked under the low hanging roof of the cave entrance.

"Ladies," he said extravagantly.

"Roland," replied Britt and Eliza in tangent.

Throwing them a wink, he said, "We could use some dry wood for the night. We'll be heading out in the morning, so we won't need much." Britt bobbed her head in ready agreement, willing to do anything that might draw Roland's attention to her. Eliza on the other hand scowled at him, but when he raised his eyebrow in challenge, she huffed after her friend to gather wood.

Felicity bit back a sigh. "How can a person talk about hair so much? There was a great debate on whether to have it long or short, curled or straight, pulled back or kept down. So many choices."

Roland laughed and sat next to Felicity's makeshift bed. "And what did you decide?"

"A braid is the way to go." She grinned up at Roland. "Britt insists that I could add a few little braids into my current hairstyle and all the forest creatures would be after me."

He tugged on the end of her braid and contemplated her hairstyle. "That would look nice."

"Thank heavens that I don't have to worry about what men think of my hair. That would add in way more stress to my already stressful life."

"I like you hair just as it is," Roland whispered, running his hand down her brown tresses.

She only looked at him, unsure on how to continue the conversation.

Wanting to kick himself and his stupid brain, Roland did not even attempt to unsay the words that had come out of his mouth. Instead he asked, "How bad did you leave things here?"

"Real bad," she confided, resting her had back against the small bundle of Roland's coat that he had given her.

Looking out of the cave mouth, he replied, "You'll make up with him. You always do."

Not meeting Roland's eyes as he looked back at her, she shook her head. "I messed up so much, Ro. He hates me, and for good reason."

"Liss…"

"I called him a coward," she spat out. "I called him a coward and ran off." She dug the palm of her left hand into her forehead and whispered, "I left him alone with her body. I blamed him for her death. He wanted -" Cutting herself off, she clamped her lips shut.

"You were in a rough spot."

Tears began to roll down her cheeks. He softly brushed one away as she said, "He had just lost his wife."

"And you had just lost your mother," he countered. "Lissa. I don't know what I would do if I lost my mother."

"You already did."

A light laugh came from his lips. "I was a baby when my real mother died. When my father remarried Regina, she took me in with open arms. She raised me like I was her own. If I lost her, I would blame everyone in sight and take off too." He cupped her cheek. "But I don't know if I would have been strong enough to come back."

She rolled her eyes, grateful for his unrelenting belief in her. "Thanks, but words are just that: words."

"I put a lot of stake into them," he insisted. "I also put stake into actions." He brushed her hair out of her eyes, lowered his head, and placed a breath of a kiss on her forehead. "Sleep now, Felicity. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." She nodded and watched as he stood up and began to walk out of the cave.

In typical Roland fashion, he paused in the doorway and looked back at her lying figure. "It will be hard, but you owe it to yourself to mend some fences, Liss… and," he paused, grinning down at her, "don't change your hair. I love it just the way it is." With that, Roland walked out of the cave and left Felicity to stare after him with a gaping mouth.

* * *

**So I hope you are enjoying the story thus far! Feel free to leave comments on what you might want to see happen ... I am kind of just letting the characters speak and act for themselves, but they are always open for suggestions!**

**- Country Girl**


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